From: Sonja van Baardwijk-Holten [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In our country all people that are not related in bloodline (siblings,
parent/child, etc.) and who permanently live together (at least six months
officially registered or through a contract at a notary) in twosomes can
get themselves officially registered as a partnership. As such the state
awards them the same rights as a married couple. Only difference is in
succession. A partner has to pay more in succesion tax, but only if they
haven't got a contract/will at the notary so merely are registered. Anybody
who wants to get a public marriage certificate can do so without much
hassle. We do however in language make a very rigid distinction between
public marriage (i.e. voor de wet getrouwd/boterbriefje) and religious
marriage (i.e. kerkelijk huwelijk).
That would seem comparable here to if all governmental marriages were called
civil unions, while the word marriage was reserved to religious marriages.
Having one term for both is a big sticking point here for some, but even if
separate, many would still oppose gay civil unions anyway, so the word is
not the only problem, just the most superficial one.
Another argument I've seen is that allowing gay marriages would open the
door for demands for three-way (or more) group marriages, incestual
marriages, and bestiality marriages. Is there much call for that stuff in
your country? (I'm guessing not)
Do many churches there allow gay religious marriages? Do the ones that
don't allow it actively oppose allowing gay public marriages?
-bryon
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